The child runs in with the news: «I lost a tooth!»
The adult replies, «Come on!».
The child shuts up. The word «okay» means «good, we’ve agreed.» So the news has been taken note of and the conversation is over.
And the adult was surprised and waited for the continuation.
What the child already knows about «okay»
One of the first meanings of «okay» that a child learns is agreement.
«Take away the toys.».
«Okay.».
But there are more meanings to the word «okay.» You can even stop arguing with them.
When combined with «of course,» the meaning depends especially on the intonation and the context. The same words can sound different.
On paper, they look the same. So we have two short conversations. Read each one out loud, in turn, so it’s easier to hear the difference.
The first conversation, surprise
«I lost a tooth!»
«Come on! Show me.».
Here, «no way» means «it can't be.» The speaker is not arguing or doubting seriously. He is showing that the news is big.
Say this phrase yourself and listen to what the voice does. Often the «lad» stretches and rises higher. After the phrase, there is a pause, and the person waits for an answer.
The continuation also suggests something. After the surprised «well, come on» often follows a question or request. Show me. When? Really?
In English, they would say in this place: No way!
What the child responds to this
One of the usual responses to the surprised «well, whatever» sounds like this.
«True!»
Or «the truth.» Or just «watch,» and then they show the tooth.
An astonished «oh, come on!» often leads to further questions, even including a story about what happened. Therefore, it is useful for the child to know such answers in advance.
The second conversation, the dispute
Two people are playing a board game.
«My move now!»
«No, mine!»
«Come on, go.».
The words are almost the same, but the voice is different. Here, the phrase often sounds shorter, and the voice becomes lower towards the end.
Here, «come on» helps to end the argument. The speaker gives in and shows that he/she no longer wants to argue.
Continuing helps here too. After such a «well, whatever» there is often «you» or «you guys.» “Well, whatever’s the matter with you? Well, whatever’s the matter with you? Don’t fight it.”.
In English, it’s close here to Fine; go ahead.
The same remark, said in the wrong place
One intonation instead of another can change how the interlocutor hears the reply.
If the child answers the news about the tooth with a short, tired «well, come on», instead of being surprised, they might hear «you’d think it was nothing special».
An adult gets the tone right without thinking too much. For a child who hears Russian mostly at home, it’s useful to show the difference intentionally once.
There is a third «oh well»
They answer them for gratitude.
«Thank you for your help.».
«Come on, nonsense.».
Usually it sounds calm, closer to the second option. The person shows that the help didn’t cost them anything.
What kind of «oh well» is that?»
Seven short conversations. Read each aloud in turn and choose what «okay» means in this situation. You can press all three options in turn; there are no points or timers. Look at the continuation of the line; it often gives clues.
There are more than three meanings of «of course» in colloquial speech. Only those mentioned in the article are included here.
Game of two minutes
Say «no way» in one of two ways and ask the child what it was. Is it surprise or does the person want to end the argument?
Then switch roles. Let the child say it, and you guess.
If you can't guess, add the continuation. «Come on! Show it!» and «Come on, go!» are hard to confuse.
Both conversations can be rehearsed as many times as necessary. It is not necessary to explain where the voice is coming from. It is enough for the child to hear the difference and try to pronounce both options themselves.
Frequently asked questions about «come on»
What does «whatever» mean?
The meaning depends on the intonation, the situation, and the continuation. This is the response to surprise, to finish a discussion, and to respond to gratitude. In real speech, there are even more meanings.
How is «okay» different from «okay»?
One of the first meanings of «okay» that a child learns is agreement. They can also be stopped with it, for example, «it's okay for you to argue.» When combined with «okay,» the meaning depends especially on the intonation and the context.
What answer to give to the surprised «oh well!»?
One of the usual responses is: «True!» There are also options like «honesty,» «watch,» and a story about what happened.
How to say «come on» in English?
There is no one translation. "No way!" would be appropriate for the surprise factor. In a game dispute, when one person gives in, "Fine, go ahead.".
There are articles on the blog about other short words whose meaning depends on the voice. five meanings of the word «let's» and more intonation in the Russian language.
